Electoral watchdog Bersih has joined calls for the government to halt plans to enforce social media licensing, calling the move “hasty” and open to abuse.

Despite the government’s justifications, Bersih noted that it has used draconian laws in the past, such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act and the Communications and Multimedia Act as political weapons to investigate and silence critics.

“Bersih emphasises that this new law could lead to...